Florida offers students almost 120 schools with business programs. You’ll find a wide array of specializations and degree programs, including many doctoral programs. Business scholarships are easy to find and eligibility requirements are varied. For example students attending an accredited college in central Florida, who are studying project management, may be eligible for the PMI Central Florida Chapter Scholarship.

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Business Degree Programs in Florida

Listed below are all of the colleges and universities in Florida that offer business degree programs. If you want to narrow it down a bit more, you can browse our listings of specific types of business degree programs in Florida:

Marketing degree programs in Florida >

State of Florida's Marketing Industry

Florida was almost down for the count after the real estate industry collapsed in 2006, but it's getting back on its feet now. Inflated housing prices have corrected themselves, and employment continues to expand.

Marketers should be pleased - Florida's low tax burden, thriving tourism sector (87.3 million visitors in 2011, according to stateofflorida.com) and rising GDP are all helping to create demand for bigger and better marketing campaigns. And demand can be high in a state with the 4th largest population in the country.

The most impressive statistics come from Inc.'s Top 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2012. There are - no joke - twenty-six advertising and marketing companies on the list. Seven have seen their 2008-2011 revenues grow over 500%. Convert2Media (2,726%) and Full Circle Marketing and Sales (1,679%) sport figures that defy comprehension.

Job Prospects for Florida Marketing Graduates

According to a 2012 economic outlook report by Chase Bank, overall employment in the sunshine state looks set to increase slowly and steadily to 2015, but it's not projected to reach pre-recession boom numbers any time soon.

For graduates, this means a fairly healthy job market. In 2011, Florida was one of the top ten states to employ marketing managers (5,640, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), and the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation projects double-digit growth for market research analysts and PR specialists from 2008-2018.

Newcomers can look for jobs in the marketing departments of Florida's sixteen Fortune 500 companies, or they can explore opportunities in the state's strong aerospace, agriculture, software, construction and health technology sectors. Spanish speakers will be welcome - 40% of all U.S. exports to Latin and South America pass through Florida, according to stateofflorida.com.

Florida Schools for Marketing

To meet business demand, Florida has 50 accredited marketing schools. Here are two to compare:

In return for hard work and tuition fees, UFL's Department of Marketing can supply you with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration focusing on marketing, an MBA with a concentration in marketing or a doctorate in business administration with a focus on marketing. Students can conduct research in UFL's David F. Miller Retailing Education and Research Center or in its Behavioral Research Lab.

Ranked in #44 in "Best Business Schools" by U.S. News & World Report in 2013, the Hough Graduate School of Business offers both a traditional and an online MBA.

UM's School of Business Administration was ranked #70 in "Best Business Schools" in 2013. Students can choose to pursue either a Bachelor of Business Administration or a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in marketing, an MBA or a doctorate in marketing.

Like UFL, Miami has also developed a Behavioral Research Laboratory for students and faculty to conduct leading-edge marketing research in a controlled environment.

Professional Marketing Organizations in Florida

Thousands of Florida marketers are currently involved with hundreds of active marketing organizations. Whether you live in the northern or southern part of the state, there is bound to be a networking group nearby.

Florida has the fourth-largest economy in the nation, with a Gross State Product (GSP) of $833.5 billion in fiscal year 2015 alone. The state's economy is largely powered by the real estate and health care sectors, which represented a full 17 percent of the state's total GSP that year.

Florida’s business school graduates go on to careers in marketing, finance, human resources management, accounting and business administration with some of the largest global corporations that have operations and corporate offices in the state. In fact, the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) reports that Florida has a higher proportion of MBA-educated business professionals working for big business employers (500 employees or more) than virtually any other state in the nation.

Still, the SBA reports that Florida is home to 2.18 million small businesses, which together employ three million workers out of a total workforce of 10.6 million.

Florida's Business Environment

You will recognize many of Florida's largest companies, listed here by their rank on the Fortune 500 list for 2015:

World Fuel Services based in Miami – Market value $4.14 billion

Publix Super Markets based in Lakeland – $1.74 billion in profits this year

Tech Data based in Clearwater – Market value $2.12 billion

AutoNation based in Fort Lauderdale – Market value 7.31 billion

NextEra Energy based in Juno Beach – Market value $46.21 billion

Florida's business landscape includes companies in the following sectors, according to 2015 statistics from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA):

Health care and social assistance – $75.7 billion in annual revenue; 1.24 million professionals employed in this sector

As a prospective marketing director, financial controller, HR manager, executive business leader or other business professional, you can prepare for your education by tailoring your studies towards a particular economic sector. Consider the following examples (Shown for illustrative purposes only, these examples were taken from a survey of job boards in Florida conducted in August 2015):

MBA with a concentration in Management is required for a management position with Keyes Real Estate Company in Stuart

Bachelor's of Science in Business is required for a management position with The Villages Retirement Community in Gainesville

Bachelor's of Science in Business with a concentration in Finance is required for an investment advisor position with Franklin Templeton Investments in Fort Lauderdale

Bachelor's of Science in Marketing is required for a marketing director position with Marriott Vacations Worldwide in Orlando

Establishing a strong educational foundation will also give you the skills necessary to remain competitive among the other professionals in your field. Florida ranks nationally when it comes to job opportunities and income, as shown in the following figures from the US Department of Labor (2014):

Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers – Florida has the second-highest number of property managers of all states in the nation

Chief Executives – Florida has the fourth-largest number of CEOs in the nation

Administrative Services Managers – Florida offers the fourth-highest average income of administrative services managers in the nation

Sales Managers – Florida has the fifth-highest number of sales managers in the nation

The University of Florida's Hough Graduate School of Business at the Warrington College of Business Administration gets high marks from The Princeton Review, Financial Times and The Economist. In fact, its online MBA program was ranked #1 by The Economist. The university was a pioneer in the field as one of the first schools to offer a fully-accredited MBA program online 10 years ago. While classes are offered online, the university requires two-day weekend residencies once a semester so that you can meet faculty members in person and connect with classmates. Distance learners can pursue a two-year MBA program or one that can be completed within one year. Both online and on-campus MBA candidates have the option of registering for a Global Immersion Experience, a seven- to 10-day trip to study a business abroad. These trips count for two hours as an elective.

Florida State University's College of Business offers several formats for pursuing an MBA. The College offers a one-year, full-time MBA for students who can handle a fast-paced curriculum and want to take minimal time away from the workplace. The school's Part-time MBA program covers the same rigorous curriculum as the full-time version, but at a more measured pace, two evenings a week. The Online MBA is a 39 hour program you can pursue at your own pace and costs the same regardless of student location. FSU also offers the option of pursuing one of two joint degrees: a Juris Doctor with an MBA or a Master of Social Work with an MBA. No matter the option you choose, FSU's MBA programs are taught by the same full-time faculty members. Online and on-campus students also may participate in a Global Business Seminar that culminates with a trip abroad. You may learn more about earning an MBA from Florida State University by watching our interview below with Dr. Douglas Stevens, faculty director of the MBA program.

Stetson's School of Business Administration offers two traditional MBA tracks. One is an intense and focused program that you can complete in one year, while the Professional Track allows you to fit your studies around your work schedule and take more time to complete the degree. For experienced managers, Stetson also offers an Executive MBA. Students in each of these programs can enhance their learning experience with study abroad opportunities. The school and all of its degree programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Southeastern University's College of Business and Legal Studies offers MBA programs with a decidedly Christian worldview. The school takes a flexible approach in its offerings: You can finish your degree in as few as 12 months or take one class at a time to complete the program in 24 months. Courses are taught in eight-week sessions, two per semester. You also have the choice of pursuing your degree on campus via evening classes or online through a state-of-the-art Blackboard system. Both programs are AACSB accredited.

The University of Miami takes advantage of its location to offer MBA programs with an international and specifically Latin American focus. The school offers a full-time traditional MBA, a one-year MBA, a part-time MBA for working professionals and two Executive MBA programs, one in English and one in Spanish. Areas of concentration include computer information systems, finance, international business, management, management science, Six Sigma, management science consulting, marketing, mergers and acquisitions and real estate. You can also pursue one of several dual degree programs that combine an MBA with another degree such as a Juris Doctor or a Doctor of Medicine.